Rewind about fifteen years and my go-to meal was most likely a 32oz Dr. Pepper, Arby’s Curly Fries and an Ultimate Cheeseburger from Jack n the Box. Then right around 19 my freshman… mmm 30 came along? Oh yes I may have a small frame but I don’t have the “naturally skinny” body type to go with it and my teenage metabolism didn’t last very long. Then began my life journey of always being conscious of my food intake.
I feel like its important for you to know where I’ve been with my health to know why I am so conscious of my nutrition now. I’ve yoyo’d about 20-30lbs once at 19, and after each baby I’ve had and these past two years I have really been educating myself and getting down to all the details of how my body works and in the process I’ve learned a lot about how women’s bodies work and how we lose weight.
Have you ever been on any type of weight loss plan and what is the first thing you notice? Well after you realize you will be eating most likely less than what you were then you realize Holy Smokes! How much protein you need to start consuming?! I feel like for women this is a much more difficult task than men considering when we think to eat healthy we automatically go to salads or just low carb, fat-free, no sugar etc. Why is it that we can so easily remove things from our diet but adding in larger amounts of something crucial can be so difficult?
When changing anything about your diet and especially when you intend on sticking to it long term, it is important to know the WHY of what you are doing. Let me tell you I struggle with being told I should do something until I understand from multiple angles WHY it is important. So let me teach you a crucial tidbit about protein. Number one, Protein is a Macronutrient that helps Burns Fat. Number two, when you consume .5-1 gram of protein per pound you weigh (example: weight 150lbs = protein grams 125-150) a Thermic Reaction occurs. This thermic reaction is Burning Fat and especially targeting Belly Fat while preserving and growing muscle. Number three, protein is the foundation of cell growth and is crucial for repairing and building tissue. Number four, protein also greatly affects the production of hormones and other body chemistry that correlates to our mood and well being.
Knowing what we know at a very basic level about protein, why is it always SO filling and very difficult for us to consume higher levels of protein? Three factors I’ve widdled it down to are: knowledge of what contains dense amounts of protein, convenience to access protein, and understanding how our body individually processes different types of protein.
Achieving 100+ grams of protein in a day, you will need to know ways to get 20-30 grams per meal that doesn’t always involve a grilled salmon or freshly made steak! I’ve tried eating mainly meat. I’ve tried being vegan and I’ve tried being vegetarian and I feel like I’ve found a happy balance for myself. A rule of thumb when needing to consume 20-30 grams of protein per meal is to incorporate one of the following: salmon, chicken, beef, turkey, beans, lentils, tofu, or a variation of dairy. For myself, I incorporate these types of proteins into 2 of my 5 small meals a day.
This leads me into my next part of protein sources that are convenient. These options I use for 2 more of my meals but try not to exceed that despite their convenience. I love a great protein bar that has Low fat, and I look for my carbs to match my protein grams such as 20 grams or less of carbs and 20 grams or more of protein. My favorite ones I’ve tried are Quest Nutrition Bars (whey protein) and Garden of Life Performance Peanut Butter Bars (plant protein)! My other go-to quick protein meal is a protein shake! I love the V Pro Vanilla powder with Almond Milk or if I need something in my bag and on the go then I grab an OWYN shake. Personally, I ALWAYS have a shake and a bar in my bag before I leave the house for the day so I’m never tempted to make a bad choice because I’m Starving!
After we’ve figured out how to incorporate more protein into our diet we are still left with the overly full feeling an hour after we eat, or possibly too much gas or upset stomach, or maybe we get backed up and are not having regular bowel movements? These may not be the case for you but for many women I talk to it seems all too common. This is where you should know the two different types of proteins.
Animal Protein: This protein is found in meats and eggs and dairy sources. This is also found in Whey Protein.
Plant Protein: This protein is found in vegetables, seeds, beans, lentils etc. This is also in Plant Protein powder.
Everyone is different which means a one size fits all approach is not an option when discovering which protein source your body processes more easily. As a whole, the nutrition and fitness community promotes Whey protein and animal proteins as the go-to source because of its high yield of protein and tasty options. However, for myself, I discovered through testing different sources and keeping a journal of my reactions, that eating less animal protein and more plant protein when I can have been much easier on my digestive system.
Plant protein has complete nutrients and digestive enzymes which make it easier on your gut to process. Getting the high levels of protein is more of a challenge which is why I love to have the quick options of my protein-dense plant-based shakes and bars to get closer to my protein goals. Because of the digestive enzymes, high fiber and complete nutrients that are found in plant protein, I like to rotate with each meal an animal protein and a plant protein and this seems to keep me feeling light and keeps me regular throughout the day.
I am not a nutritionist or an expert but what I have found with my nutrition has also been the same experiences as many other women I’ve shared with. I hope this helps educate you more on why protein is important, where to find it, and how to troubleshoot with the different protein sources when you experience issues digesting a higher amount!
